Texas is the latest state to take action on 'Critical Race Theory'

TEXAS -- One Republican Congressman says the new federal holiday, Juneteenth, is “more debunked critical race theory in action.”

The phrase, critical race theory, is a hot button topic around the country.

Sen. Ted Cruz slammed it once again at a conservative conference on Friday, calling it as racist a ‘KKK’ ideology.

Several republican-led states have taken action to ban teaching critical race theory in schools – with Texas being the latest.

Texas Gov. Abbott signed a law banning public schools from teaching about it.

One school in Missouri is also deeply divided by the ban.

A heated community forum outside St. Louis Missouri where the Rockwood School District has become a flashpoint in the national debate about critical race theory.

A group of moms were preparing to protest at the district’s school board meeting to fight for a more diverse lesson plan where their children go to school.

"The children, they want to learn all kinds of curriculum. Is there implicit bias? Yes. Is there racism? Absolutely,” said parent Amy Ryan.

"To have my daughter say, I want to have blue eyes, curly hair, long blonde hair, and white skin, like her teacher,” said Charity Ipke. “Let's start presenting our children with diverse curriculum."

"People who were educated years and decades ago, they got a version of history, that wasn't exactly right, that was whitewashed. And now we're starting to recognize that and reconcile with that,” added Geneviève Steidtmann, another parent at the school district.

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• Teachers wary of new laws limiting instruction on race
• Some Texas teachers bristle against anti-critical race theory bill

Critical Race Theory teaches that much of America’s history and policies are infused with systemic racism.

The district says it doesn’t teach critical race theory. But it has been teaching a curriculum rooted in diversity, equity and inclusion for years.

But this spring, the phrase became a lightning rod, and some parents began accusing the district of teaching ‘Marxist ideology’ and ‘liberal propaganda’. So now, lessons many hoped would bring the community together, have created a chasm.

“In our district we're not White shaming, we're not making anyone feel bad about being White or calling anyone a racist, that's not what this is about. We have diverse students who show up at Rockwood every single day, students who have a desire to see themselves reflected in the curriculum,” said Executive Director of Student Services Terry Harris.

A curriculum that includes lessons about slavery, but also about a Black astronaut and the African American inventor of the traffic signal.

The whole controversy seems to have picked up steam during the pandemic, when children were kept home and parents got a closer look at lesson plans.

A leaked email from a Rockwood Staff Member advised teachers not to “make everything visible” about their race-based lesson plans on the platform with parents can view.

The email also suggests avoiding trigger words like “privilege” and “democratic.”

The district says that email “does not reflect the mission, vision and values of the district,” adding Rockwood encourages transparency.

But those protesting in favor of diversity teachings say ignoring the history lessons and what they call whitewashing history is like lying to children about the past, and that’s harmful.